just pictures

I haven't written any blog posts in a while because life has been sucking the energy right out of me. I work at a computer for 40 hours a week (I've been back to full time for about 2 months now - a story for another time) and the thought of sitting down at another computer to do the whole uploading pictures thing and attempting to come up with something that might be even slightly interesting to say is REALLY unappealing. So I just don't do it. But I want to change that because I like to think that there are some people in parts of the world who don't get to see Alexander on a regular basis and who might appreciate small glimpses into his life. So my new plan is: unless I have something particular captivating to say, I'm going to do posts that consist of "just pictures." Starting....

now!

This and the following picture are the result of sorting through/putting away winter accessories.
A goofball. Such a goofball.



Our fashionista son, modeling Mommy's winter scarf





I love this! Check out the baking powder footprints. He had fun making his mark throughout the house after he dumped almost an entire cannister of baking powder on the kitchen floor.



playing in the water after giving the plants a drink

I'll try to be back soon!

Bedtime Bottle Blues

There's no doubting that parents of very young children can't help but compare their own to others'. It's just the way it goes. As hard as we try not to, we see the little boy 'X' or girl 'Z' doing something that our own child cannot do and we, at least a small part of us, if we are honest with ourselves, think "wait, my kid can't do that! Is there something wrong with him!!"

The fact that your friend's kid, who might even be a month or two younger, already knows the entire alphabet, or every color of the rainbow will, regardless of how advanced our own children are in other areas, make a jealous insecurity rear its ugly head, even if it's just a tiny bit and only for a second.

Lately we have been discussing how long Alexander should be taking a bottle. We heard about other children that were about his age that had given them up months ago, or that they were just trying to "kick that last one before bed." And every time we heard things like this Stephanie and I thought "man, should he not be on a bottle anymore?" And honestly we like our bedtime bottle time, before naps and when he goes down for the night, it relaxing for both us and him. So I asked around and got varying responses. Most of which was advice that we were trying to take anyway: Don't worry about it. But at Alexander's last well-child visit Stephanie thought to ask the doctor. She said that we should probably move to that end soon and that he wouldn't just give it up on his own (something we were kind of banking on).

Then Alexander got a cold. A really runny nose cold, so bad he couldn't breathe though his nose at all. Blessing in disguise. You see, about a week ago, or so, maybe longer, we snuggled up to give him his bedtime bottle and he said "No?" and pushed it away.. And I said, "NO? Are you sure?" and tried again, no it was. And he hasn't takes a bottle since, we even tried a couple of times since then, and he's just no longer interested.

We feel very happy and blessed that it wasn't a struggle to try to convince him not to want it! And it's just another sign that he's growing up, which is good (I have to keep reminding myself of that).

So, you can see why Stephanie usually writes these things. I'm a little long winded, but here's what you really care about, just a few this time around:

He absolutely LOVED the "Easter Bunny"

Wasn't sacred at all!

And, he makes a pretty cute one himself!

Don't hate him because he's beautiful.

Just chillin' out.